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Is honesty important for a site owner? Unsure? Then read on...
Here's a common scenario for you. Suppose you're searching for cheap hosting, somewhere
around the $10 a month price range, and you see a link or banner that says something like "Free
Hosting" or "$0 Hosting". I'm sure many of you would be tempted to take a look.
Let us further suppose that you did take a look, and after wading through several pages, you see
that they are in fact trying to charge $5 a month for their cheapest hosting and there isn't a free
option.
How many of you would actually sign up for it, despite the fact that it is $5 cheaper than the
budget you set? Very few of you I would think, because you were misled. After
all, if they lied about that, what else are they lying about?
I would further surmise that you would be reluctant to continue reading their pages, or to have
anything to do with that site or company again.
The point? The site lost a customer, who would otherwise have been interested, through
dishonesty.
Less Is Sometimes More
There is a big difference between getting people to your site and getting interested
people to your site. Personally, I would rather have 10 people a day here who actually found
something useful to them, than 100 people a day who were bored halfway through the first
paragraph.
Accurately describing your site at search engines and on your "home" page is a must if you want
to be taken seriously.
I don't charge for any of the services here, but if I did I would much prefer to sell a lot of
my product at a fair price than a little at a higher price. Maybe I'm in the minority here
(it seems like it sometimes), but I would get greater satisfaction from selling 1000 items
at $1 each (assuming I was at least breaking even), than 10 at $100.
Here's a valid point to consider - a satisfied visitor is more likely to return.
Even if your motives are purely mercenary, it still makes sense to be fair and honest - it's less
effort in the long run for one thing.
Extra Effort?
Time for a list I think.
Dishonest site owners have the following problems:-
- They have to change hosts and email providers often
- Links to deleted sites are of no use to anyone
- Bad news travels fast - dissatisfied people tell others
- Many people do not trust the Internet and even a small lie will make them leave
- It's actually extra work
For those of you that don't believe that last point, consider how much extra effort is involved
in signing up for new sites and email accounts, changing URLs listed at search engines etc. every
time one gets deleted.
Anyone who tries to make money from displaying advertisements on a site that is likely to be
closed down unexpectedly needs their head testing - they are highly unlikely to get paid after
all.
A Final Comparison
Comparing an honest site owner with a dishonest one is a little like comparing the tortoise to
the hare in the fable. Hopefully you know how that tale ended.
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